I think it's time to share some good news. Though I haven't yet officially signed the contract, I have been tapped by the good folks at ArtWorks for the biggest commission of my career thus far. I have been asked by Children's Hospital here in Cincinnati to create 12 custom pieces of artwork to be installed in the newly renovated neurology unit!

This commission is not only special because of its scope, but because it gives me a chance to make a mark on a place that has made such a difference in my life. My little cricket has epilepsy, and at one point, her seizures were so out of control that we thought she'd be severely brain damaged or worse. Children's Hospital saved her life on more than one occasion, and she has been seizure-free for nearly a year and a half. No number of words or works of art could ever express my gratitude, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try, right?

So I embark on this crazy mission with my cricket in mind. The theme that Children's has asked for is "Wishes, Hopes and Dreams in Nature." I've come up with three concepts for their consideration:

The Messenger's Guild

The Messenger's Guild (detail)

Starlight, Starbright

Starlight, Starbright (detail)

Stitching Our Dreams

Stitching Our Dreams (detail)

Each concept involves incorporating the actual written dreams, hopes, wishes, and prayers of patients, family and Hospital staff directly into the artworks.